Soviet Concept of Film

A detailed Summary of Soviet Concept of Film

In Notes of a Film Director by Sergei Eisenstein, the author states that the Soviet Union and other progressive peoples sought international cooperation and that cinema should belong to everyone. He said that cinema should be used for the achievement of universal peace, solidarity and unity. In his utopian view, Soviet cinema was to champion the highest ideals, "... ascending in spite and in defiance of all those who would drag all the nations of the world back into the chaos of strife and enslavement." His idea was to "move from the I to the they to the Soviet revolutionary we." To achieve this end, Eisenstein advanced the development of cinema into a unique art form. "Eisenstein formulated a completely modernist theory of editing based on the psychology of perception and the Marxist historical dialectic, which made it possible for the cinema to communicate on its own terms for the first time, without borrowing either matter or form from other media." He learned from Meyerhold "the possibility of mixing rigorous systemization and spontaneous improvements."

Eisenstein said that "units of impression combined into one whole" could be used to introduce "a new level of tension" that would produce "emotional saturation" with "a

The entire process of the composition revised the scenes and developed the dramatic structures through shooting on location. Eisenstein's use of these elements is a result of his interest in "synecdoche" (a part represents the whole or vice versa). The Odessa steps massacre scene was a representation of all the tsarist atrocities in 1905. Also, Eisenstein stated that the mutiny represents "the character and spirit of the time (in) an attempt to grasp its dynamics, rhythm." In Battleship Potemkin, massacre is followed by advancement of the revolutionary cause. There are at least four formal factors that contribute to pathos and to tendentiousness. 1) The location is limited except for cross cutting between the Odessa steps and the sailors on the ship. This heightened the dramatic impact. 2) Historical events in 1905 are condensed into three days of drama. The structure of the narrative develops a rising revolutionary consciousness and action. 3) There are camera movements within a boundary and a long shot frame of the deck in which the sailors' revolt occurs. This is where montage returns. 4) Abrupt cuts are used to develop a style of conflict and tension, and to preserve clarity. Consistent use of the cut in the montage sequences emphasizes the properties of orientation and juxtaposition between shots. Fades are reserved to make the conclusions of each part and the transition to the next. Eisenstein admits to pacing sequences to build melodrama. "The action is slowed down and tension is 'screwed tighter'." He also uses a montage of insertions such as the undercut shots during the firing squad scene in which the sailors

Some common words found in the essay are:
Battleship Potemkin, Soviet Union, Potemkin Brutality, battleship potemkin, Potemkin Manipulation, odessa steps, Sergei Eisenstein, juxtaposition montage,

Approximate Word count = 1109
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History